It had been an intriguing matchup — the hot team on the road versus the hot team on the roll.

The Calgary Hitmen had proven this season to be travelling aces, fashioning a fine 11-1-1 record away from home.

The Red Deer Rebels, meanwhile, were 9-0-1 since Brent Sutter took over as head coach last month after firing Jesse Wallin.

So something had to give Wednesday — and, after 40 minutes of scoreless hockey, it did.

The Hitmen, powered by a two-goal outburst in the third period, slipped past the Rebels 2-1 in Western Hockey League action at the Enmax Centrium.

“We responded, got a couple goals quickly,” said Hitmen skipper Mike Williamson. “Our big guys stepped up, which is what you definitely need when it’s a tight game like that. You need everybody, but you need your best players to be at least as good as the other team’s. (Wednesday) they were.”

“He made some great, great saves to keep it 0-0,” said Williamson. “Then, when we did get the two goals, he shut the door. They had a couple really good chances and he was extremely strong.”

Joel Hamilton, who opened the scoring at 0:42 of the third period, counted for the Rebels, 19-12-3 now after suffering their first regulation-time loss under Sutter.

In net for Red Deer was Bolton Pouliot, a Calgary lad.

“It was very hard fought,” Williamson said of the tight-checking affair. “Ice was tough to find. Still, both teams had some good chances and both goalies played really well. It was a really good hockey game.”

Particularly for the Hitmen. This contest arrived the night after Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers.

“I thought our guys played hard (Tuesday),” said Williamson. “So to lose that one and get back on the bus and get here and put in another solid effort, it’s a really good sign.”

NOTES: The Hitmen shipped D Darian Henry to the Regina Pats in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. (Henry via Twitter: “Very tough to leave Calgary. Thanks to @WHLHitmen for everything this season, great group of guys and a great organization.”) Henry, an 18-year-old native of Strathmore, collected five points and 77 penalty minutes in 30 appearances this season . . . Calgary native C Hunter Shinkaruk, a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers, is one of the 40 NHL draft-eligible players named to the CHL top prospects game Jan. 16 in Halifax. Other Calgarians invited to the showcase include C Morgan Klimchuk of the Regina Pats and D Josh Morrissey of the Prince Albert Raiders . . . The Hitmen’s next game is Saturday, 7 p.m., against the visiting Pats. Sunday, 4 p.m., they welcome the Kelowna Rockets to the Scotiabank Saddledome.

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